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Demonstration Against SPDC in DC



To:	rangoonp@xxxxxxx (RPost)


Edit this please.  I may have remembered the wrong name at the bottom.

___________________________________________________________________
Demonstrators denounce the SPDC's dinner banquet in Washington, D.C.

Philip McCracken, III - Rangoon Post

Friday 9 January, 1998

    Demonstrators from many Burmese ethnic backgrounds as well as Japanese 
and Americans strategically set themselves to demonstrate against the SPDC's 
(formerly the SLORC) dinner celebration at the Washington, D.C. Hilton's 
Jefferson Room.    About 30 protestors demonstrated outside in freezing 
winter weather to express their views and concerns to the visiting 
diplomats.  The diplomats walking and driving in were always greeted with 
posters such as "Closed schools means a poor and stupid country" and a 
loundly chanted  "Shame, Shame, Shame on You!".

    The protesters demonstrated for 2 hours from 5:30 to 7:30 in winter 
weather, the SPDC was spending their time in the warm Jefferson banquet room 
on the concourse level.  The SPDC apparently did not have enough money for 
tables and food since their 200 + visitors were standing packed together. 
 The dinner by the NCGUB, the 'elected' Prime Minister, and other Burmese 
groups had 250 to 300 visitors, tables, food, and traditional entertainment, 
including the usual comedy group making jokes about Ohn Kyaw and others.